Catalysts-Controlled Roles Exchange between 2,3-Diaryl-2 H -azirines and Acetone: Chemodivergent Synthesis of Pyrroles and 3-Oxazolines.

We report two practical and step-economical methodologies for the chemodivergent synthesis of tri -substituted pyrroles and 3-oxazolines from the domino reactions of 2 H -azirines and acetone. For instance, acetone served as a nucleophile to react with 2 H -azirines under the basic conditions to furnish pyrroles. Upon changing the catalyst to TfOH, acetone served as an electrophile to synthesize 3-oxazolines. Moreover, the products could be synthesized on a gram scale, and the possible catalytic cycles were proposed.